whelk

  • 1Whelk — (hw[e^]lk), n. [OE. welk, wilk, AS. weoloc, weloc, wiloc. Cf. {Whilk}, and {Wilk}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one numerous species of large marine gastropods belonging to {Buccinum} and allied genera; especially, {Buccinum undatum}, common on the coasts… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2Whelk — Whelk, n. [OE. whelke, dim. of whele. See {Wheal} a pustule.] [1913 Webster] 1. A papule; a pustule; acne. His whelks white. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. A stripe or mark; a ridge; a wale. [1913 Webster] {Chin whelk} (Med.), sycosis. {Rosy whelk}… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3whelk — [welk] n [: Old English; Origin: hweoloc] a small sea animal that has a shell and can be eaten …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 4whelk — [ welk, hwelk ] noun count a small SHELLFISH that lives along the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is sometimes eaten as food …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 5whelk — large marine snail, O.E. weoloc, wioloc, from P.Gmc. *weluka (Cf. M.Du. willoc, Du. wulk), perhaps from PIE root *wel to turn, revolve (see VULVA (Cf. vulva); Cf. also VOLUTE (Cf. volute)). The spelling with wh dates from 15c …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6whelk — ► NOUN ▪ a predatory marine mollusc with a heavy pointed spiral shell, some kinds of which are edible. ORIGIN Old English …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7whelk — [hwelk, welk] n. [ME welke < OE wioluc < IE base * wel , to turn (with reference to the spiral shell) > WALK] any of various families (esp. Buccinidae) of large marine snails which are often carnivorous and edible …

    English World dictionary

  • 8Whelk — Taxobox name = PAGENAME image width = 250px image caption = A lightning whelk shell found on a Gulf of Mexico beach in Louisiana. regnum = Animalia phylum = Mollusca classis = Gastropoda subclassis = Orthogastropoda superordo = Caenogastropoda… …

    Wikipedia

  • 9whelk — whelk1 /hwelk, welk/, n. any of several large, spiral shelled, marine gastropods of the family Buccinidae, esp. Buccinum undatum, that is used for food in Europe. [bef. 900; late ME, aspirated var. of ME welk, OE weoloc] whelk2 /hwelk, welk/, n.… …

    Universalium

  • 10whelk — UK [welk] / US / US [hwelk] noun [countable] Word forms whelk : singular whelk plural whelks a small shellfish that lives along the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is sometimes eaten as food …

    English dictionary